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Bylaws of the Clinical and Diagnostic Immunology Division

ARTICLE 1. NAME AND MISSION

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Clinical and Diagnostic Immunology Division of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry, Inc. (referred to below as the Division).

Section 2. The mission of the Clinical and Diagnostic Immunology Division is to encourage the study, advance the science, and improve the practice of diagnostic immunology and the use of immunological techniques in clinical chemistry.

ARTICLE 2. METHODS AND ACTIVITIES

Section 1. The Division will submit proposal for at least one session (symposium, course, or other appropriate event) dealing with diagnostic immunology and/or the use of immunological techniques to be presented at each Annual AACC Meeting. The Division may support other educational activities, both at the Annual AACC Meeting and at Local Sections Meetings.

Section 2. The Division will be a forum for dissemination of information related to diagnostic immunology and immunological techniques using communication tools provided by AACC’s website, and by newsletter.

Section 3. The Division will act as a liaison between its members and other professional societies concerned with diagnostic immunology and immunological techniques.

Section 4. The Division will encourage and/or sponsor research in diagnostic immunology and immunological techniques and the publication of research papers and monographs.

Section 5. The Division will recognize and promote outstanding careers in diagnostic immunology and/or immunological techniques by the Carl R. Jolliff Award for Lifetime Achievement in Clinical and Diagnostic Immunology.

ARTICLE 3. MEMBERS

Section 1. Membership in the Division shall be open to all current AACC members who either indicate in writing to the Secretary of the Division their wish to join or who check the appropriate item on the AACC dues invoice. All members must pay the annual Division dues to remain in good standing.

Section 2. Only members in good standing may hold office in the Division or may vote at the Division's annual business meeting or in elections of the Division.

Section 3. Any member may resign by so indicating, in writing, to the Division Secretary. No refund of annual Division dues for the current year shall be forthcoming.

ARTICLE 4. OFFICERS

Section 1. The Division shall be guided by the Chair, Chair-elect, Past-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and four officers focused on the major activities of the division (Education, Communications, Professional Development and Research). This group of officers will form the Executive Committee of the Division. All members of the Executive Committee will be voting members, and the Executive Committee will have authority to act in all matters pertaining to policy, finance, and education within the Division.

Section 2. Each of the officers shall serve a two-year term of office. Officers may not be elected to more than two consecutive terms in the same office. In exceptional circumstances, where it is in the best interest of the Division, the two-term limit may be extended by unanimous vote of the executive committee. The terms of office will coincide with the calendar year. Election of officers will be held by secret ballot of the Division membership, using the electronic system supported by the AACC.

Section 3. A two-year cycle of elections will be used to ensure continuity of Division leadership. The Chair-elect (and, consequently, due to succession, the Chair and Past-Chair), the Treasurer, the Education Officer, and the Professional Development Officer will be elected in one year. The Secretary, the Communications Officer and the Research Officer will be elected in the following year. The selection of officers for the ballot may vary from year to year due to vacancies and other reasons.

Section 4. Duties of the Officers

4A. Division Chair

• Coordinate activities of the Executive Committee and general Division activities.
• Organize the annual business and general membership meeting at the AACC Annual Meeting.
• Organize an Executive Committee meeting at least one time during the year. The Chair will preside at these meetings.
• Promote the Division’s general missions.
• Oversee the development of an acceptable budget.
• Coordinate the production of periodic reports on the state of the Division. At least one such report shall be produced during the Chair’s term of office.
• Deliver the Annual Report to the as required by AACC.
• Appoint interim or ad-hoc committees to handle special projects or issues, as the need may arise.

4B. Chair-elect

• Succeed to the office of Chair.
• Act as Vice-Chair (i.e., represents the Chair in the Chair’s absence).
• Assist Chair in the conduct of Division duties.

4C. Past-Chair

• Advise and assist the Chair in the conduct of Division duties.
• Chair the Jolliff Award Selection Committee, which consists of the Current Chair, Past Chair, Chair-Elect, and Research Officer.

4D. Secretary

• Coordinate and distribute information regarding the Executive Committee meetings to the members of the Executive Committee.
• Assist the Chair in the production of the Annual Report.
• Prepare and coordinate the distribution of election information and ballots to the general membership of the Division.

4E. Treasurer

• Maintain accounts for the Division. In so doing, the treasurer will adhere to the guidelines set forth in Article 7 below.
• Submit the proposed budget to the Chair in a timely manner and in compliance with the guidelines established by the AACC.
• Assist the Chair in the production of the Annual Report.

4F. Education Officer

• Submit proposal for at least one major educational activity dealing with diagnostic immunology and/or the use of immunological techniques to be presented at each Annual AACC Meeting.
• Support other educational activities, both at the Annual AACC Meeting and at Local Section Meetings, working with the meeting planners as appropriate.
• Coordinate (with the Communication Officer) of information exchange through Artery, a private online community of laboratory medicine professionals accessible only to AACC members
• Coordinate other meetings and topics for presentation (or co-development) by the Division.
• Maintain ACCENT and other continuing education credit for programs offered by the Division.

4G. Professional Development Officer

• Maintain a current roster of division members and coordinate Division efforts and activities designed to increase Division membership.
• Form a Nominating Committee each year and prepare a slate of officers for yearly election, in compliance with the two-year cycle described above (Article 4, Section 3 The committee will consist of the Professional Development Officer, The Past-Chair, and three other members of the division that they propose, subject to the approval of the Executive Officers.
• Act as a liaison to other professional societies dealing with diagnostic immunology and immunoassay testing and coordinate the Division's activities related to standardization of immunological techniques and licensing and certification issues .

4H. Communications Officer

• Prepare a Divisional Newsletter on not less than a semiannual basis. The content of the Newsletter will include actual news items related to the activities of the Division, short communications, emerging trends, current topics and other relevant information dealing with diagnostic immunology and immunological methods. Semiannual basis is defined as publishing twice within a calendar year, once within the first six months and once within the second six months.
• Coordinate the activities of those who prepare materials for dissemination using the Division website.
• Coordinate (with the Education Officer) information exchange through Artery, a private online community of laboratory medicine professionals accessible only to AACC members.

4I. Research Officer

• Gather information on pertinent publications (books, papers, abstracts, etc.) for distribution to the Division membership, working with the Communications Officer .
• Form an Awards Committee each year to select the winner of the Best Abstract Award or Awards for presentation at the AACC Annual Meeting.
• Seek appropriate publication vehicles for contributions by the Division or its members.

ARTICLE 5. REMOVAL OF AN OFFICER

Section 1. Any member of the Division may petition for the removal of an officer for failure to perform his/her duties or any breach of legal or ethical conduct which the member may perceive to be a detriment to the Division. Such a petition must carry the names and signatures of ten (10) additional bona fide members who are not members of the Executive Committee, or the names and signatures of (5) members of the Executive Committee. The petition must specify the charge(s). The petition must be transmitted to a member of the Executive Committee, who must put the petition before the entire Executive Committee, for a vote. A two-thirds majority of the Executive Committee will be necessary to consider the petition. The petition, if passed for consideration, will be forwarded to the officer in question.

This officer will have thirty (30) days to respond in writing to the charge(s). This response is to be submitted to the Chairman. If the Chairman is the officer in question, the response must be submitted to the Chair-Elect. The entire Executive Committee will be convened to consider the matter. A motion requesting the resignation of the officer will be drafted. A simple majority of the total Executive Committee will be needed to pass the motion. Should the motion fail, no further action, regarding the specific charge(s) made, will be considered for a period of one year. After one year has passed, the entire process must be repeated, if charges are to be brought. Should the motion pass and the resignation is not forthcoming, the membership-at-large will be asked to vote on the removal of the officer in a manner identical to that in Article 10 below, for the modification of the Bylaws. A summary of the following must be sent with the vote mailing:

• The charge(s).
• The response of the officer in question.
• The recommendation of the Executive Committee.

A simple majority of the members responding will be required for removal of the officer in question. A deadlock of the voting members will be decided by vote of the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE 6. APPOINTMENT OF AN OFFICER PRO-TEM

Section 1. A vacancy of any office, as the result of removal from office; resignation; or death, will result in proposal of a replacement by the Chair of the Nominating Committee, which will be placed before the Executive Committee for a vote. If, due to the vacancy, the Executive Committee has an even number of members, the Chair of the Nominating Committee will forfeit his/her vote. A simple majority of the Executive Committee is required for approval. The individual approved will serve as an officer pro-tem for the remainder of the term of the person replaced.

ARTICLE 7. DUES AND FINANCIAL GUIDELINES

Section 1. The Division will adhere to a fiscal year that corresponds to the calendar year.

Section 2. Divisional dues will be set each year by the Executive Committee. In setting the dues, the Executive Committee will adhere to the guidelines of the AACC pertaining to this matter.

Section 3. In determining reimbursement for expenses, honoraria, and registration fees for meetings, the Division will adhere to the guidelines established by the AACC.

ARTICLE 8. ANNUAL MEETING

Section 1. The Division will hold a business meeting, each year, during the Annual Meeting of AACC. This business meeting is called by and presided over by the Division Chair. All business will be conducted as described in Article 9, Section 4, below. Notice of this meeting will appear in the Newsletter published prior to the Annual Meeting of AACC.

ARTICLE 9. CONDUCT OF BUSINESS

Section 1. Unless otherwise specified by these Bylaws, all Divisional business will be conducted by the Executive Committee, as representative of the membership at-large. All meetings of the Executive Committee will be open to the membership of the Division and must be announced, with the agenda for the meeting, at least 30 days in advance. The agenda must include the opportunity for comments from the membership, both before and after the business items on the agenda.

Section 2. All meetings of the Executive Committee will require a quorum of six (6) Executive Committee members. The quorum may be accomplished by phone calls as well as personal attendance.

Section 3. Unless otherwise specified by these BYLAWS, a simple majority will be required for the passage of any motion.

Section 4. All meetings (general membership and Executive Committee) will be conducted in compliance with parliamentary procedure (Robert’s Rules of Order).

ARTICLE 10. BYLAW MODIFICATION AND AMENDMENT

Section 1. The Chair will appoint, with the approval of the Executive Committee, the Chair of the Bylaws Committee. Such appointment shall not exceed a period of two years. However, the Chair of the Division may reappoint the Chair of the Bylaws Committee, with the approval of the Executive Committee. The Bylaws Committee shall be composed of Chair of the Bylaws Committee, the Division Chair, the Chair-elect, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and the Education Officer. Any member of the Bylaws Committee may convene the Committee to propose a modification or amendment. Approval of the proposed change by the Committee will require a simple majority vote. Following approval by the Bylaws Committee, the changes will be submitted to the AACC for approval, and then to the membership of the Division, at the earliest possible time, for a vote to approve or reject the changes. Approval will require a simple majority of responding members. Such approval will become effective on the first day of the month immediately following the vote. If the vote of the membership results in a deadlock, the Executive Committee will vote with a simple majority needed for approval.

ARTICLE 11. DISCLAIMER

The Division intends that these Bylaws shall be in compliance with all applicable policies of the AACC. In the event that there is a discrepancy between the Bylaws put forth herein and the official policies of the AACC, the latter will take precedence.